Privacy Policy

Information We Collect

We collect only the information needed to operate the Site:

• fiber_manual_recordAnonymous browsing data — pages visited, time on site, device type, approximate location (country/region), referrer URL. Collected via Google Analytics.
• fiber_manual_recordCookies — small text files stored in your browser. Used for analytics and (with your consent) personalised advertising.
• fiber_manual_recordAccount information — if you create an account: your email address, display name (optional), and the authentication method you chose (email/password or Google sign-in). Managed by Firebase Authentication.
• fiber_manual_recordUser-generated content — scans you save, recipes you save, and pages you favorite. Stored in Firestore against your account.
• fiber_manual_recordUsage counters — how many AI symbol scans and AI chat messages you've used (we use these to enforce free-tier limits and prevent abuse).
• fiber_manual_recordPayment information — if you subscribe to Premium: your payment details are collected and processed by Stripe. We never see or store your card numbers.
• fiber_manual_recordContact form submissions — name, email, and message content if you contact us via the contact form. Processed via Formspree.
• fiber_manual_recordPhotos you upload — when you use the AI Symbol Identifier, the photo of your care label is sent to Anthropic's Claude API for analysis. The image is not stored by us after the response is returned.
• fiber_manual_recordAI chat messages — if you use the Premium laundry chat, your messages and conversation context are sent to Anthropic's Claude API to generate responses. We do not retain chat transcripts on our servers.

We do not store payment card numbers, sell your information, or share it with anyone outside the third-party processors listed below.

Accounts and Premium Features

You can browse most of StainScout without an account. Some features require an account or a Premium subscription:

• check_circleFree account — required to use the AI Symbol Identifier (5 scans per month).
• check_circlePremium subscription — unlocks unlimited AI scans, the AI Laundry Chat, ad-free browsing, saved history, and favorites.

Authentication is handled by Firebase Authentication. We do not store your password — Firebase manages it using industry-standard hashing. If you sign in with Google, Firebase exchanges an OAuth token with Google and we never see your Google password.

Premium subscriptions are processed by Stripe. Your card details go directly to Stripe — they never touch our servers. We receive only a customer ID and subscription status so we can grant access to Premium features.

Third-Party Services

The Site uses the following third-party services:

• Firebase (Google) — handles user authentication and stores account data, saved items, and usage counters. See Firebase Privacy & Security.
• Stripe — processes Premium subscription payments and stores cardholder data securely on our behalf. See Stripe's Privacy Policy.
• Anthropic — provides the AI vision model that identifies laundry symbols from your photos, and the language model that powers the Premium laundry chat. Image and message data is sent to Anthropic for processing. See Anthropic's Privacy Policy.
• Google Analytics — anonymised traffic measurement. Governed by Google's Privacy Policy.
• Google AdSense — displays advertising to non-Premium visitors. Uses cookies to personalise ads if you consent. Premium subscribers see no ads. You can opt out at google.com/settings/ads.
• Amazon Associates Program — affiliate links to Amazon. We earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. See Amazon's Privacy Notice.
• Formspree — processes contact form submissions. See Formspree's Privacy Policy.
• Vercel — hosts the Site. Vercel may log basic request data (IP, user agent) for security and performance.

Cookies, Consent, and Local Storage

We use cookies for analytics and, with your consent, personalised advertising. When you first visit the Site, you'll see a cookie consent banner where you can:

• check_circleAccept all — analytics and advertising cookies load normally.
• check_circleReject non-essential — only essential site functionality is loaded; analytics and ads are blocked.

The Site also registers a service worker (used for the optional "Install App" / Progressive Web App feature) and may store minor preferences in your browser's local storage. These are functional and not used for tracking.

You can clear your consent choice at any time by clearing your browser's cookies for this site. The banner will then reappear on your next visit.

Affiliate Disclosure

StainScout participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. When you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Our recommendations are not influenced by commission amounts — we link to products we genuinely believe suit the cleaning task being discussed.

Your Rights (GDPR / CCPA)

If you live in the European Economic Area, the UK, or California, you have the right to:

• check_circleAccess the personal data we hold about you
• check_circleRequest correction of inaccurate information
• check_circleRequest deletion of your account and all associated data
• check_circleObject to processing of your data
• check_circleWithdraw consent at any time (by adjusting your cookie preferences)
• check_circleReceive a copy of your data in a portable format
• check_circleLodge a complaint with your local data protection authority

Deleting your account: If you have an account, you can permanently delete it at any time from your Account page — scroll to "Danger zone" → "Delete account". This removes your authentication record, all saved scans, recipes, and favorites, and cancels any active Premium subscription. The action is immediate and irreversible.

For data held by third parties listed above, you can exercise your rights via each provider's own account controls (Google account settings, Amazon account settings, etc.). To make any other request, contact us via the Contact page.

Data Retention

• scheduleAccount data (email, saved scans, recipes, favorites, usage counters) — retained until you delete your account.
• schedulePhotos sent for AI symbol identification — not stored by us after the response is returned. May be retained briefly by Anthropic for abuse-prevention purposes per their policy.
• scheduleAI chat conversations — sent in real time and not stored on our servers. Anthropic may retain them briefly per their policy.
• schedulePayment records — retained by Stripe per applicable financial regulations (typically 7 years for tax purposes).
• scheduleAnalytics data — retained by Google Analytics according to its default retention settings.
• scheduleContact form submissions — kept only as long as needed to respond to your message, then deleted.

International Data Transfers

The third-party processors we use (Firebase/Google, Stripe, Anthropic, Vercel, etc.) are headquartered in the United States and may process your data outside your country of residence. These providers offer contractual safeguards (such as Standard Contractual Clauses) to ensure your data receives an adequate level of protection. By using the Site, you consent to these transfers.

Security

We protect your data with reasonable technical and organisational measures: HTTPS encryption in transit, authentication tokens with short expiry, server-side authorisation checks on every API request, and strict Firestore security rules that prevent users from accessing each other's data. No system is perfectly secure — if you suspect your account has been compromised, contact us immediately.

Children's Privacy

The Site is intended for general audiences. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13. If you believe a child has created an account or submitted information, please contact us and we'll delete it.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with a new "Last updated" date. Continued use of the Site after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact

Questions about this Privacy Policy? Reach us via our Contact page.